change risks and opportunities in EIAs IAIAsa Conference 29 August - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

A critical review of the consideration of climate change risks and opportunities in EIAs

IAIAsa Conference 29 August 2014

Maxwell Denga & Carli Steenkamp

School of Geo and Spatial Sciences North-West University Potchefstroom Campus maxwell.denga@grinaker-lta.co.za & Carli.Steenkamp@nwu.ac.za

Introduction

• UNFCCC (2003) describes climate change as “the change of the

earth’s climate due to the harmful effects of human activities”

• Climate change should be considered to be amongst the most

serious threats to global sustainable development (IPCC, 2000b)

• Adverse impacts expected on natural (water security) and

anthropogenic systems

Global impacts of climate change

Introduction

• SA faces particular challenges with regards to climate change
• The government acknowledged that climate change is real and that

it poses a serious threat (DEAT, 2008)

• Government is committed towards responding to the climate change

impacts, stabilising global GHG concentrations and implementing CO² emission reduction targets

• To achieve these targets, SA needs to take drastic and decisive

actions in the immediate to medium-term future

• Mainstreaming climate change considerations into social, economic

and environmental policies (DEAT, 2004)

• EIA is one of the tools for environmental protection through which

climate change could be potentially addressed (Sok et al, 2011)

• The current EIA approach does not encompass climate change

issues or the broader long-term implications for sustainable development (Gilder and Parramon, 2011)

Research Objectives

• The objectives for the research:

– To what extent do EIAs for housing developments in the Gauteng Province consider climate change risks and opportunities? – What are the drivers (opportunities) and barriers (challenges) to improving the consideration of climate change issues in EIAs?

Scope and method of research

• Twenty (20) case studies from the CJMM and CTMM were analysed

Scope and method of research

• The analyses grouped by the developed 5 criteria in order to get a

true reflection of similarities and differences between case studies:

Criterion No Criterion requirement 1  Development should be housing-related and within the selected metropolitan areas 2  The EIA regulation regime should be based on either the 1997, 2006 or 2010 EIA regulations 3  Access to the relevant reports granted by the respective authorities 4  Reports should be compiled by different environmental practitioners 5  Reports should be the final reports submitted to the authorities for review

Scope and method of research

• List of evaluation questions and justification used:

Review criteria (RC) Phase in the EIA process Criterion question Justification RC1 Scoping  Were the impacts (risks and opportunities) associated with climate change considered during scoping?

Gilder et al (2008)

RC2 Public participation  Have stakeholders raised the need to consider climate changes in EIAs during the public participation process?

Sok et al (2011) IEMA (2013)

RC3 Assessment  Was climate variability included in the assessment of the potential impacts?

IEMA (2010) Braklacich (2008)

RC4 Significance rating  Are identified climate change-related impacts thoroughly evaluated in terms

• f

their significance?

IEMA (2013) Byer and Yeomans (2007)

RC5 Mitigation  Does the EMP include information on the measures that need to be taken to ensure the project’s own resilience to climate change?

Personal Communication (2012) NCCRS (2004)

Scope and method of research

• Scoring criteria for consideration of climate change issues:

Scoring level Definition Justification and application A Considered Climate change risks and/or opportunities are completely and clearly referred to and directly addressed. B Generally considered Climate change risks and/or opportunities are considered to a limited extent and are at times generally referred to and/or indirectly/somewhat addressed. C Not considered Climate change risks and/or opportunities are not identified or considered at all.

Results: RC1 - Consideration of climate change in scoping

Case Study RC1

1 A 2 A 3 A 4 C 5 B 6 A 7 B 8 C 9 C 10 B 11 B 12 B 13 C 14 B 15 C 16 B 17 C 18 C 19 C 20 C Overall B

• Climate

change impacts are generally considered (B) during scoping.

• Some of the issues raised:

– Floodline determination, storm water control, energy efficiency, extreme events…

Results: RC2 - Consideration of climate change in public participation

• Climate change impacts are not

considered (C) during public participation.

• Some of the issues raised:

– Impacts during extreme weather

• events. Request by local authority to

include storm water and flood line requirements… – Wetland delineation and potential for flood reduction…

Case Study RC2

1 A 2 C 3 C 4 C 5 C 6 A 7 C 8 C 9 C 10 C 11 C 12 C 13 C 14 B 15 C 16 C 17 C 18 C 19 B 20 C Overall C

Results: RC3 - Consideration of climate change in Impact Assessment

Case Study RC3

1 B 2 A 3 A 4 C 5 A 6 A 7 B 8 C 9 C 10 C 11 B 12 B 13 C 14 A 15 C 16 C 17 C 18 C 19 B 20 C Overall C

• Climate change impacts are not

considered (C) during impact assessment.

• Some of the issues raised:

– Assessed the impact of climate variability: how it will affect transportation, housing, social well- being, health, etc.

Results: RC4 - Consideration of climate change in significance rating

Case Study RC4

1 B 2 C 3 B 4 C 5 B 6 B 7 C 8 C 9 C 10 C 11 C 12 C 13 C 14 A 15 C 16 C 17 C 18 C 19 B 20 C Overall C

• Climate change impacts are not

considered (C) during the significance rating.

• Some of the issues raised:

– Determination of costs of damage and the aftermath

• f

storm surges, proximity to water resources from the settlement areas…

Results: RC5 - Consideration of climate change in mitigation strategies

Case Study RC5

1 B 2 B 3 A 4 C 5 A 6 A 7 B 8 B 9 C 10 C 11 B 12 B 13 C 14 B 15 C 16 B 17 C 18 C 19 B 20 C Overall B

• Climate

change impacts are generally considered (B) during the mitigation strategies.

• Some of the issues raised:

– Resource efficient and climate resilient housing buildings, planting

• f indigenous trees, use of gas for

cooking purposes, use of public transport…

Overall Results: Consideration of climate change in EIA

Case Study Scoping PP IA Significance Mitigation

1 A A B B B 2 A C A C B 3 A C A B A 4 C C C C C 5 B C A B A 6 A A A B A 7 B C B C B 8 C C C C B 9 C C C C C 10 B C C C C 11 B C B C B 12 B C B C B 13 C C C C C 14 B B A A B 15 C C C C C 16 B C C C B 17 C C C C C 18 C C C C C 19 C B B B B 20 C C C C C B C C C B

Overall Results: Case studies

Challenges for considering climate change risks and opportunities in EIA

The following are the main challenges noted from the analysis of the interview and questionnaire responses:

• Climate change as a separate issue
• “EAPs are not thinking outside the regulatory requirements box”
• Climate change as a global/regional issue
• Focus on positive approval and not on sustainability
• Capacity at government level
• Climate change knowledge

Opportunities for considering climate change risks and opportunities in EIA

The following opportunities were identified from the questionnaires and interviews:

• EIA process assists with flood determination and protection
• Building adaptive capacity through provision of basic services
• Improved urban management
• Government authorities/officials should take a lead
• Reconsider household fittings and furnishing

Conclusion

• Those involved in deliberating on housing development generally do

not consider matters relating to climate change in EIA

• Key weakness areas are: public participation, impact assessment

and impact significance

• Climate change issues were generally considered during the

scoping process and in the mitigation strategies

• The main challenges relate to how climate change impacts are

perceived, integrative thinking, and lack of capacity

• Need an enabling regulatory framework and guidance for dealing

with climate change

• The goal of incorporating climate change risks and opportunities

within EIAs remains aspirational than operational

Thank you!